Ain't No Sunshine
by bahjcb
Summary: All throughout Condor Studios, people are reminding themselves that it's only a week. It's only a week and the sunshine will be back. They can last a week, can't they?


_Disclaimer: You ever notice how just about all of us think that Chad would/should/will nickname Sonny "Sunshine/Sonshine?" If I owned SWC it wouldn't just be supposition—and I would probably find a way to use the Bill Withers song I borrowed the title from just for kicks and giggles._

* * *

"Oh, look," Ferguson Michaels (who played Trevor, Mackenzie's best friend, on the award winning tween drama _Mackenzie Falls_) drawled as he and his other cast mates watched Chad Dylan Cooper (the Mackenzie in _Mackenzie Falls_) stand in a corner by himself, smiling, and talking into his cell phone. "Sunshine has returned to the Falls."

Skyler DeVane (Devon, the evil half-brother of Mackenzie), just slurped his loganberry smoothie while looking suitably dramatic and just a little pouty.

Marta Balatico (who played the Evil Penelope, a love interest of Mackenzie's) rolled her eyes, already tired of the emotional rollercoaster that was Chad Dylan Cooper while his girlfriend was away. Snapping her gum, she countered, "Not for long. I see storm clouds on the horizon. That phone call won't last forever."

Watching Chad end his call and then stare sadly at his cell, Chastity Ann DeWitt (Chloe, the new and "poor" girl on the _Falls_) mournfully declared, "And sunshine has now left the Falls, bringing us M.O. Chad."

"M.O.?" Portlyn (the only character at the _Falls_ to have the same name as her actor) asked.

"Mean and obsessive," Marta answered with another eye roll. Chastity Ann was fairly certain that Marta was going to do some permanent damage to her optic nerves with all that eye rolling she does.

"When's Chad…" Portlyn started to ask when Chad, who had stomped over to his congregating cast members in the interim, interrupted.

"What are you doing? We have a show we need to be rehearsing for. Or am I the only one who actually works around here?" Chad snapped at them, quite rudely to be honest.

"We're just taking a break," Portlyn happily informed Chad. Marta rolled her eyes once again while Chastity Ann, Ferguson, and Skyler all winced at her sheer stupidity or lack of survival instinct.

"We were just waiting for you to tell us what to do, Chad," Portlyn finished with a sort of simpering look.

Eyes narrowing, Chad barked, "Get to Work! NOW!"

With that, the residents of the _Falls_ went scurrying to their marks, not willing to upset their leader further. With a growl, Chad went stomping after muttering to himself about having to do everything around here.

* * *

"Chad?" Tawni questioned in surprise as she walked into her dressing room to find Chad Dylan Cooper lounging on her couch. "Did you forget Sonny's at her aunt's wedding back in Wisconsin?"

"No," Chad muttered in response.

"Sooo, you're hanging out in our dressing room, why?"

"Portlyn was bugging me. Sonny said I couldn't have her disappear in a mysterious ballooning accident so I'm hiding in here for a little bit."

"What about _your_dressing room?" Tawni asked with some exasperation and her hands placed firmly on her hips. Sonny may have become her best friend, but Tawni was excited for a whole week without sharing and did not want to give that up by sharing the room with Sonny's moody boyfriend.

"No one would look for me here," was Chad succulent reply.

Shaking her head at his stupidity, Tawni waspishly informed him, "They would look for you here, first, Chad. You're _always_ over here."

"Only when Sonny's here."

"Chad, get out." When America's Tween Heartthrob wouldn't move, Tawni yanked the pillow out from under his head and started beating him with it. "I said get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Using his arms to block the onslot, Chad hurried out the door. "Fine, I'm leaving. Cut that out."

Slamming the door after him, Tawni quickly turned the lock. "Ugh! How does Sonny put up with him? Thinking he can just take over other people's stuff. Humph!"

* * *

Portlyn, showing an amazing amount of bravery or an extreme quantity of foolishness, skipped taking her lunch back to Stage Two like Chad demanded (he insisted they work through lunch) and plopped down next to Tawni at the Randoms regular table.

"Hi!"

"Hello," Nico quickly replied, giving her his best and most suave grin.

"What do you want?" Tawni demanded. "I am _so_ tired of you _Mackenzie Falls_ people bothering me. Go Away!"

Looking a bit like a kicked puppy, Portlyn answered, "I just wanted to know when Sonny was coming back."

"Why?" Tawni snapped.

"Chad's being mean. He was kind of rude before he met Sonny, but after they started dating he was all _nice_ to us. Now that she's gone he's being all mean and grumpy and expecting us to think for ourselves."

Grady, who had been quite content to let this conversation go on without him (he was enjoying his tasty _Sloppy Jonas_), curiously asked, "What do you mean he wants you to think for yourselves? I thought he liked telling you what to do?"

"Yeah," Nico agreed, curious about her statement as well.

"Well," Portlyn drew out. "He wants us to memorize our lines and not ask him how to say them. He said that after almost five years of playing Portlyn I should know Portlyn's motivation without asking him. Chad also told Ferguson that as they didn't share a dressing room he didn't care what color Ferguson painted his dressing room and to stop asking him, that is Ferguson should stop asking Chad, what color to paint his, that is Ferguson's, dressing room."

"No wonder Chad always takes the long way to Stage Two through our stage," Tawni muttered to herself.

Nico, in complete flirt mode, leaned across the table to take Portlyn's hand in his, saying, "I'm sure a pretty thing like yourself doesn't need Chad Dylan Pooper to think for her."

Eyes widening, Portlyn quickly shook her head in denial. "No, we need Chad to tell us what to do! I can't talk well without a script, Marta said so. Chad agreed with her, but Marta always tells me that. Chad keeps us all inline. He explains when something is funny. And he knows when a scene is done well or not. He also reminds Skyler that he's allergic to nuts. Last time Chad tried to get us to think on our own, Skyler ate a peanut butter cup and had to be rushed to the hospital!"

"Portlyn!" Chastity Ann chastised as she came running into the commissary.

"Hi, Chloe!" Portlyn replied, waving frantically.

"It's Chastity Ann, Portlyn. I only play Chloe on TV."

"Sorry!"

"Whatever. You're supposed to be on set! If Chad finds out that you're hanging out here, he's going to kill you!"

"Oh! I better go," Portlyn told the cast of _So Random!_ while picking up her tray. Halfway to the door, she turned and called, "When's Sonny coming back?"

"Tomorrow night," Zora answered. "She'll be back in time for taping this week."

"Okay! Bye-bye."

As Portlyn left the room, Tawni said, "I always wondered why she shared a name with her character. Now I know."

"I wonder how she remembers to call Chad Mackenzie while taping?" Grady asked.

"He probably reminds her," Tawni answered with a smirk.

Thoughtful, Zora added, "I didn't realize that old saying was true, but in the land of the blind the sighted man truly is king."

"And who knew Chad Dylan Cooper was the one who could see," Tawni laughed.

Grinning, as he had just come to a fantastic realization, Nico swiftly stood up and headed for the door.

"Nico," Grady called after him. "Where are you going?"

"I was just thinking that since Chad wasn't helping, Portlyn could use a man to think for her."

"And you think you're just the man to do it?" Zora sarcastically asked.

"Oh yeah," Nico called over his shoulder as he hurried away.

Seeing Grady's thoughtful look, Tawni immediately snapped, "Sit down and finish your sandwich."

"Yes, Tawni," he swiftly answered, completely cowed.

* * *

"Where is Chad?" Rob Robyn, _Mackenzie Falls'_ director asked with a scowl upon his face.

"He's in his dressing room," Skyler reluctantly informed the angry man.

"What is he doing there? Doesn't he know we have a shooting schedule which we are now **behind on**?"

"He got a call from Sonny."

Hearing that Robyn seemed to deflate. "Sonny, hum? Skyler, you…"

"No!" Skyler interrupted, completely horrified to be asked such a thing. "I like living and I like all my limbs in all their appropriate places. No way am I going to tell Chad to stop talking to his Sunshine!"

"Okay," Robyn swiftly soothed, raising his hands in supplication or defense, he wasn't exactly sure which. Skyler was really upset about the whole thing. Sighing, Robyn asked, "Does anyone know when Sonny comes back?"

"Ooh, ooh!" Portlyn noised, raising her hand to get their director's attention.

"Yes, Portlyn?" he wearily asked.

"The Randoms promised that Sonny would be back late tomorrow night."

"Only one more day of this crap. Mental note to self: next time Sonny leaves the area for any length of time, write Mackenzie into a spontaneous coma and send Chad with her."

Marta couldn't help herself and blurted out, "Spontaneous coma?"

Looking down his nose at the impudent teen, Robyn replied, "I know it makes no sense (like half of our episodes) but do you really want another week of cranky Chad Dylan Cooper to put up with."

"I think spontaneous comas is a fascinating idea," Chastity Ann quickly voiced.

"Yes," Skyler agreed. "That could cause all sorts of fascinating tension for my character and the possibility of him taking over the water business."

"So it's settled," Robyn finished. "No one interrupt Chad. I'll go talk to the writers. If Chad isn't out in three minutes, Marta and Portlyn, we'll film your scene."

* * *

Sonny morosely followed her mother down the hallway towards their apartment staring at her cow colored phone and dragging her luggage behind her.

Connie Monroe stopped her forward progress and looked back at her sulking daughter.

"Sonny, you told Chad we were coming in late and you would see him tomorrow."

"But he _never_ listens to me," Sonny sighed. "I thought he would at least answer his phone."

"It is late," Connie consoled her daughter, continuing on her trek towards bed.

"Not that late," Sonny pouted, once more staring at her phone. Bumping into her mother's back, however, brought her attention away from her lack of Chad Dylan-ness.

"Mom?"

"Sonny," Connie whispered. "Do you still have your phone out?"

"Yeah," Sonny answered, trying to edge around her mother.

Lifting her arms to stop her daughter and protect her, Connie said, "Call 9-1-1. Someone's sitting in front of our…door," Connie sighed the last word. Sonny had escaped past her and saw the potential vagrant.

"Chad!" Sonny screamed, running the rest of the way down the hall.

Hearing his name, Chad's head snapped up. Seeing his ball of sunshine running towards him, Chad jumped to his feet and pulled her into his arms.

"Sunshine!"

By the time Connie reached them, with both her and Sonny's bags, the couple had finally come up for air. Smiling wryly, Connie said, "Hello, Chad."

Blushing slightly at kissing his girlfriend that way in front of her mother, Chad nodded in reply. "Hello, Mrs. Monroe."

"Chad," Sonny said, instantly bring his attention back to her. "What are you doing here? I told you we'd been in late and I'd see you tomorrow at the studio."

Connie gave into temptation and rolled her eyes at hearing that. She barely kept herself from mentioning Sonny's pouting for the last half-hour at not seeing Chad waiting for her.

"You know I couldn't wait that long to see you again," Chad said with that grin he saved just for her.

"Oh, Chad Dylan," Sonny cooed.

"Chad," Connie interrupted. "You're staying on our couch tonight. You were asleep in the hallway. I don't want you getting in a car accident."

"Thanks, Mrs. Monroe," Chad replied with a wide grin.

Tugging on his coat to regain his attention, Sonny asked, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long." Glancing at his watch, Chad's eyes widen slightly as he realized the time. Shrugging, he gave her a lopsided grin. "I slept through most of it."

Running a hand through his hair, Sonny said, "You look tired. I knew I was keeping you up way too late on the phone."

Pressing a finger to her lips, Chad interrupted, "Sunshine, I'm Chad Dylan Cooper. If I didn't want to talk to you I wouldn't have."

Anything more they would have said was preempted by a large growl from Chad's stomach. Giggling, Sonny grabbed Chad's hand and drug him into the apartment behind her.

"Let's get you fed, mister. You obviously haven't been taking care of yourself." Teasing, she added, "I'll even cut the crust off your sammich."

Grinning Chad followed along like the whipped puppy he was happy to be with Sonny.

"I missed you, Sonny," he blurted out, suddenly overcome with emotion.

Glancing over her shoulder, Sonny gave her boyfriend a brilliant smile. "I missed you too, Chad Dylan Cooper."


End file.
